Michael Spivey stem cell transplant cancer treatment.
Hello there, friends and family! It has been quite a journey the last year and a half to where we are now. I was diagnosed in April 2023 with anaplastic thyroid carcinoma, so aggressive that it starts as stage 4. I was blessed to find it in time for surgery and chemo radiation to stop it in my neck, but it soon spread to my left femur. One more surgery to place a titanium rod the length of my femur and radiation stopped that tumor. Then we had to find treatment that would keep it from growing again or starting somewhere else since it is in my blood and there is no cure. We found that in Houston at MD Anderson Cancer Center in the form of a clinical trial. This involves trips to Texas every 6 weeks to get immunotherapy called Keytruda and daily oral chemo called Lenvima. These target the cancers to keep it from growing. They worked great as within a few weeks many small spots in my body totally disappeared. Fast forward 11 months and a total of 100 pounds lost, and I have possible small spots in my lungs/lymph nodes and have to stop treatment due to weight loss and other dangerous side effects. In Houston last week, finding this out, the plan was to again kill the spots with radiation and move forward with monitoring. At this point, without a new treatment, it would only be a matter of time. But God has provided a new trial called CAR T stem cell. Brand new for my type of cancer and the first to offer a chance at a cure. I have been accepted, and the trial covers the costs, and my insurance covers visits, procedures, and labs. I will be headed to Houston next week for a stem cell harvest, then again in 4 more weeks to begin the treatment. I have to remain in Houston within 30 minutes of the hospital for 42 days after.
That is where this fundraiser comes in. I have to have an AirBnB for a month for me and my required caretaker to stay at after my initial 2 weeks in the hospital. We will need food and gas and a possible rental vehicle. Also, travel to and from Houston for each of the several caretakers who have volunteered to help me out. In the event of there being extra or raising more than the goal, we will discuss the options to use the money in the most responsible way, perhaps towards existing medical bills or make a donation to one of the several non-profits that have helped me on this journey. Thank you for your help and most importantly your prayers. If not for God and people He placed in my life, including doctors, I would already be dead.
UPDATE!!!!!!
Well we made it well beyond the goal. I will delete the account once everything is processed and donors have time to see the latest update.